Hypodermic syringe



April 21, 1931. R T WOODYATT 1,801,475

HYPODERMIG SYRINGE Filed May 19, 1928 LW m K al!!! Patented Apr. 21, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ROLLIN T'. WOODYATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Application filed May 19, 1928. Serial No. 279,134.

My invention relates to improvements in hypodermic syringes, and more particularly to a glass container or ampoule adapted to be simply and quickly converted into a hypos dermic syringe by attaching` a hypodermic needle and an air forcing device such as a rubber bulb or a piston air pump.

n An object of my present invention is to provide a container for injecting liquids which '10 comprises a container or ampoule of suitable material preferably glass having two separate terminals forming Vtubular orifices and having a body portion of suiiiciently small internal cross-sectional area so that the meniscus of a column of contained liquid and the con'- tinuity of the column will be preserved by capillarity or surface tension, regardless of the position in which the container is held during the injecting operation, thereby preventing subdivision of the column of liquid or the passage'of air from the air forcing end into the needle end of the ampoule; and further having a uniform cross-section thus enabling the tubeto be easily graduated so as to apprise 'the user ofl the amount of liquid which is being injected.

A further object of my present invention resides in the provision of a container for injecting liquids, said container comprising an ampoule, one terminal of which is adapted forconvenient connection with an air forcing device, the other terminal thereof being provided with a fitting which makes an air-tight connection with the extremity of the tube and is provided with an external surface adapted to make a sealed hard surface and rigid with the internal surface ofthe hypodermic needle socket, both terminals of the container being so arranged as to permit of hermetic sealing 40 by fusion of the glass.

Y These and other objects will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is anV enlarged, central, longitudinal sectional view of a glasstube or ampoule which is representative of the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tube disclosed in Figure 1, said tube being shown in association with a conventional or Y standard hypodermic needle and rubber syringe bulb;

Figure 8 is a hypodermic ampoule-syringe which represents a modified or alternative form of my invention;

Figure 4e is a modified form showing the fitting within the tube; and

Figure 5 is another modification showing the tube with an integral fitting.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, it will be observed that features of my invention reside in the provision of a glass tube or ampoule which I have 'indicated generally by the numeral 10, Figures 1 and 2. a This tube 10 comprises a body portion 1Q and restricted end portions 14 and 16, said body portion being uniform in cross-sectional arca throughout its entire length. I prefer to employ tubes having an internal diameter which 7G does not exceed approximately five (5) millimeters, and the reason for this construction will be more apparent as the description progresses. This tube 10 is designed to retain a supply of liquid to be used for injecting purposes, vand it will be observed that said tube is adapted to be hermetically sealed at the extremities thereof, said seal being made by the usual process of drawing' out and fusing the ends of the glass tubing by heat. so

The restricted end portion 14 of the tube is provided with a fitting for receiving a hypodermic needle. ln the preferred form this fitting comprises a suitable sleeve 18, the external hard surface of which corresponds with the internal hard surface of the butt 20 of a hypodermic needle indicated generally by the numeral 22 as being of conventional design. This sleeve 18 may be made very economically, as, for example, from metallic or hard rubber tubing, and may be secured in sealed position upon the tube portion 14 by means of a small quantity of suitable adhesive material. Before the socket of the hypodermic needle can be ap plied to the sleeve 18, the tip of the tube portion 14 must be broken off, and to facilitate the breaking of said tube l provide a peripheral notch 24, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The restricted portion 15 of the tube is provided with a similar notch 26 which serves to facilitate the breaking.' of the tip of said tube portion in order to permit the application thereto of a suitable air forcing device as, for example, a rubber bulb Q8. The outer surface of the tube 10 may be provided with suitable calibrations, Figure 2, to clearly apprise the user of the amount of liquid which is contained or being ejected therefrom.

It Will be apparent that the ampoule or tube 10 provides a very convenient means for retaining a supply of injecting fluid in a Sterile state, and when it is desired to give an injection it is only necessary to break off the tip of the tube portion 14 and apply the hub 20 of the hypodermic needle to the sleeve 18, said hub and sleeve being designed to make a rigid. sealed or air-tight, hard surface union. It will be apparent hat it is essential that the sleeve 18 make also a sealed or air-tight fit with the. glass tubingr due to the fact that when the hypodermic needle attached to the sleeve and the injecting;l fluid is forced through the hypoderniic needle, itmust not be permitted to escape outwardly between the sleeve and the outer walls of the glass tubing. By scaling the space betiveen the sleeve and the glass tubing' with a cement, as heretofore described, this escape of the injecting Huid is prevented.

One of the features of my invention from a practical standpoint, resides in forming the glass tube with an internal diameter of such relatively small dimensions that if the tube be inclined,` inverted or agitated during the injection operation, the meniscus of the contamed injecting liquid Will be preserved and no air Will be permitted to pass from the air forcing end of the glass tube through the body of the liquid to the needle end of the tube or, in other words, the full column of injecting liquid will be maintained from the air forcing end of the glass tube to the needle end thereof. In this manner the efiicient operation of the hypodermic syringe is assured regardless of the position in which it is held, and any tendency for the injection of air through the needle or for the escape of the injecting fluid into the air forcing end of the tube, is minimized. By having the prOper internal diameter, however, such hazards are obviated by re :on of the fact that the meniscus ofthe liquid remains intact as the air pressure is beine; applied, and a column of liquid in the container .vill not gravitate into the air forcing end so long as the pressure of air in that part suitably maintained or When either end of the ampoule is closed. It will be apparent from the foregoing that by usin tubes or ampoules constructed and arranged in accordance ivith the teachings of my invention. many of the steps which are incident to the i, 4:e of the types of hypodermic syringes which are now commonly employed, are obviated. Thus, the adapted and hermetically sealed tube makes it possible to inject a liquid from the container itself through a holloiv needle into the body Without the necessity of transferring the injecting liquid from the container into a second or separate injecting device prior to injection. The only external portion of my device which need be sterilized at the time of the operation apart from the needle, is the extreme tip of the ampoule, and it will, therefore, be apparent that my device greatly accelerates the speed and minimizes the effort for making hypodermic injections, the steriliziug of needles beforehand in quantity or singly at the time of injection being a relatively simple process.

In Figure 3 I have disclosed a modified or alternative structure which includes a tube 30 having a body portion 32 and a normally sealed end portion 34 which simulates the end portion 16 of the tube 10 disclosed in Figure l. The opposite end of the tube 30 is provided With a fitting 36 which is adapted to cap said end and which may be secured in position by suitable adhesive material 38 applied to the annular end surface of the tube. Extending through the nozzle 36 is a capillary opening 40 and this substantially capil- 'lary opening may be sealed at the outer extremity thereof by any suitable means, such as by a pin 42 having a resilient head 44. The fitting 36 is provided with au external surface which is similar to the external surface of the sleeve 18 shown in Figure 1. Thus, the hypodermic needle 22- may be readily applied to the nozzle 36 when the sealing pin 42 is removed therefrom.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated still another modification of my improved device wherein the glass tube 46 is provided with a fitting comprising the end 48, which is shown as a metal or hard rubber stopper or plug cemented or otherwise fitting in air-tight manner the bore of the end of the ampoule, While the outer surface 5() of the fitting 48 is of such form and dimensions as to make a hard surface air-tight union with the butt fitting of a hypodermic needle preferably of a conventional type.

In the modification shown in Figure 5 the glass tube 52 is formed with an integral fitting 54, the exterior Wall of which is preferably ground to make an air-tight or sealed fit with the hub or butt of the hypodermic needle.

The advantages of my improved device reside in the type and rigidity of the connection between the fitting of the glass tube or ampoule with the hypodermic needle; the lightness and sturdiness of its construction; the imperishability of the fitting; its quick attachment to and detachment from the hypodermic needle proper at any time, and more particularly its adaptability for use With a conventional type of hypodermic needle. on the opposite reduced end portion for forc- The relatively small bore, specifically not ing the liquid outwardly through the needle.

greater than substantially five (5) millimeters in internal diameter, whereby the air column is maintained unbroken so as to insure the complete technique'of the injection; the uniform cross-sectional diameter of the body of the container or ampoule, whereby accurate calibration is assured and whereby a predetermined amount of injecting fluid may be injected, are added, optional, advantageous fea-tures. Finally, the cheapness of the construction, whereby the ampoule may be economically made and sold to the manufacturer or distributor of injecting fiuid and may be easily sealed in the ampoule and then sold as a convertible ampoule to physicians or hospitals so that the injection may be accomplished merely by fitting the ampoule with an air forcing device such as a syringe bulb and also with a hypodermic needle.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention provides a hypodermic syringe-container or syringe-ampoule which may readily be carried within a small kit, said' ampoule being in readiness at all times for application to the needle 22 and the bulb 28 or to any other suitable air-forcing means. In the preferred construction, the fitting 18 is very inexpensive and simple to construct and provides a very convenient connecting means for the hub or butt of the hypodermic needle, this particular type of fitting having the specic merit of permitting sealing of the glass ends of the ampoule by fusing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An air column syringe-convertible hypodermic injection packaging ampoule consisting of one integral piece of glass presenting a sealed all-glass lined enclosure for injection liquid and having a long tubular body portion with a uniform bore of substantially five millimeters or less diameter, whereby the meniscus of the liquid column is non-collapsing, and having at one end a reduced air-bulb-receiving frangible extension and at the other end a reduced extension embraced by a nonintegral conically peripheried hard-se al metal ferrule for receiving and rigidly supporting a needle-hub, the extension passing through the ferrule and frangible there-beyond.

2. A hypodermic injection instrument comprising a liquid medicament containing glass body of long tubular form with a bore of substantially five millimeters or less, whereby the meniscus of the liquid contained therein will not collapse upon inverting the instrument, and with reduced portions at each end, a needle-hub mounting seat on one of the reduced end portions, a needle having a hub rigidly mounted on the body by reception by said seat, and an air pressure producing bulb mounted In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub- 

